March 17, 2011

vs.
No. 14 Baylor (12-5) vs. Texas Tech (12-6) Waco, Texas | Baylor Ballpark (5,000)
FRIDAY, MARCH 18 | 6:30 P.M. Watch | Listen Probable Starters:BU - RHP Logan Verrett 3-1, 2.55 ERA, 24.2 IP, 30 K TTU - RHP David Paiz3-0, 5.25 ERA, 12.0 IP, 11 K		SATURDAY, MARCH 19 | 3 P.M. Watch | Listen Probable Starters:BU - LHP Josh Turley 1-1, 4.22 ERA, 21.1 IP, 17 K TTU - RHP Trey Masek1-1, 2.37 ERA, 19.0 IP, 15 K		SUNDAY, MARCH 20 | 1 P.M. Watch | Listen Probable Starters:BU - RHP Trent Blank 1-1, 6.48 ERA, 16.2 IP, 8 K TTU - LHP Robbie Kilcrease2-0, 4.56 ERA, 23.2 IP, 16 K

Complete Game Notes

Baylor's 14th-ranked baseball team opens Big 12 Conference play when it hosts Texas Tech for a three-game series starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Bears and Red Raiders meet again at 3 p.m. Saturday and wrap up the series at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Baylor is coming off a 7-6 win over Florida International on Tuesday. The Bears got a walk-off single from Chris Slater in the 11th inning to cap a rally from 6-1 down and give head coach Steve Smith his 600th career victory. The Bears are riding a seven-game winning streak and have won six straight regular-season weekend sets dating back to the last two weekends of the 2010 season.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco's 1660 ESPN Radio. Tom Barfield provides the play-by-play with Lark Smith adding color commentary. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CBS College Sports Network.

Live streaming video is available for all three games of the series against Texas Tech. For more information, follow the Baylor All-Access link at www.BaylorBears.com.

SERIES INFORMATION
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Overall: Texas Tech leads 72-70
Waco: Baylor leads 43-25
Lubbock: Texas Tech leads 45-23
Neutral Site: Baylor leads 4-2
Big 12 Era: Texas Tech leads 24-22
Smith vs. TTU: 23-31
First Meeting: 1928
Last Meeting: 5/16/2010

COACHES

BAYLOR: Steve Smith

Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986

Career Record: 600-392-1 (17th season)

Record at Baylor: 600-392-1 (17th season)

TEXAS TECH: Dan Spencer
Career Record: 65-67 (3rd season)

Record at TTU: 65-67 (3rd season)

BAYLOR-IMG COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK

1660 ESPN RADIO (Waco)

Tom Barfield (pxp) and Lark Smith (color)

BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE OPENERS
Baylor is 24-16 all-time in the opening weekend of Big 12 Conference play. The Bears lost at Oklahoma in game one last season before the last two games were cancelled due to weather. Baylor has only played Texas Tech one time during the opening weekend of Big 12 play - the Bears won two of three against the Red Raiders in Waco in 2003.

BEARS TOUGH TO BEAT IN WACO
Baylor is 29-7 in its last 36 games at Baylor Ballpark, including 17-3 in non-conference games.

The Bears had a 10-game winning streak in non-conference home games snapped when they lost the season opener to Oral €ˆRoberts. Before the streak was snapped, ORU was the last non-Big 12 team to beat the Bears in Waco when it took the opener of a four-game set on March 5, 2010. Baylor came back to win the remaining games in the series both times.

Three of Baylor's seven losses in Waco since dropping the series opener to ORU in 2010 came in extra innings and/or were one-run defeats (vs. Kansas, 12-6 in 14 innings on 3/28/10), (vs. No. 2 Texas, 4-2 in 10 innings on 4/30/10) and (vs. Kansas, 9-8 on 3/26/10). The Bears' other losses were to Nebraska (6-2 on 4/24/10), Oral €ˆRoberts (2/18/11), No. 4 TCU (2/22/11) and Texas State (3/1/11). Since losing the series finale vs. Kansas, Baylor has gone 15-5 at Baylor Ballpark.

EXTRA SPECIAL
Despite going 1-5 in extra-inning games in 2010, Baylor is 23-13 in such games since the start of the 2003 season. Baylor was 4-1 in extra-inning games in 2009, 1-3 in 2008, 2-1 in 2007, 0-1 in 2006, 6-1 in 2005, 1-0 in 2004 and 5-1 in 2003. Baylor is 3-0 in extras so far in 2011.

The Bears won all four regular season games that went to extra innings in 2009, but fell to No. 2 national seed LSU 3-2 in 10 innings in the second game of the NCAA €ˆBaton €ˆRouge Regional.

Six of the 23 wins over the past eight seasons have come on an opponent's home field (Arizona twice, Arizona State, Texas, Vanderbilt and UT €ˆArlington). Four of the 23 wins were either neutral-site games or games at Baylor Ballpark in which the Bears were the visitor. Four of the 22 wins have come in postseason play, including two at the Big 12 Tournament and one at the College World Series.

VERRETT NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF WEEK AFTER RECORD-SETTING ONE-HITTER
Baylor junior right-handed pitcher Logan Verrett was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, as announced by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper March 14.

Verrett earned the award after allowing only one hit in a complete-game shutout against Louisiana Tech on March 11 at Baylor Ballpark. He allowed an infield single leading off the game, then retired the next 20 batters in order before an error in the seventh inning.

Verrett also tied a Baylor Ballpark record with 14 strikeouts - 12 of which were swinging - including each of the last four batters of the game. He was efficient, needing just 110 pitches - 80 of which were strikes - and only going to a three-ball count twice in the game. His 14 strikeouts were the most by a Baylor pitcher since Jason Jennings struck out 14 at Kansas on April 2, 1999.

He faced just one batter over the minimum due to a two-out walk in the eighth inning. The Bulldogs only reached second base one time in the game, after a walk and stolen base in the eighth inning. Louisiana Tech managed to hit the ball out of the infield four times against Verrett and all four were flyouts.

Verrett became the sixth Baylor student-athlete to be named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball. Previous winners include Jon Topolski (1998), Kyle Evans (2000), Jared Theodorakos (2002), Cory VanAllen (2004) and Raynor Campbell (2010).

Theodorakos was named after tossing a complete-game one-hitter at Southern California in 2002, the last time a Baylor pitcher allowed one hit or less in a 9-inning game before Verrett did so.

SLATER & VERRETT TAKE BIG 12 WEEKLY HONORS AFTER 5-0 WEEK
For the second time in program history, Baylor baseball student-athletes earned both Big 12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced March 14.

Chris Slater earned his first-ever Player of the Week award, while Logan Verrett was honored as Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second time in his career. Verrett and Slater join Mark McCormick and Josh Ford as the only Baylor players to win both Big 12 Conference weekly honors in the same week.

Slater, a senior from Plano, Texas, hit .600 (12-for-20) with two doubles, one triple, one walk, seven RBI and seven runs scored to lead the Bears to a 5-0 record during the week. He entered the week with three hits in 19 at-bats on the season, but with four consecutive three-hit games, his batting average jumped from .158 to a team-leading .385.

Slater started the week going 3-for-3 with a run scored and a sacrifice bunt in Baylor's win at Texas State on Tuesday. He went 3-for-4 with a double, walk, two runs and three RBI in the Bears' first game against Louisiana Tech on Thursday. Slater followed that up by going 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored on Friday and 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and three RBI on Saturday.

A junior from Corpus Christi, Texas, Verrett allowed only one hit in a complete-game shutout against Louisiana Tech on Friday night at Baylor Ballpark. He gave up an infield single leading off the game, then held the next 27 batters hitless and faced just one batter over the minimum while recording a Baylor Ballpark-record-tying 14 strikeouts.

Verrett only allowed four balls out of the infield, all of which were flyouts. He faced only two three-ball counts and only threw two balls to six of 28 batters faced.

Slater's award came a week after teammate Landis Ware was honored as Big 12 Conference Player of the Week. It marks the third time in program history the Bears have won Player of the Week two times in a row. Chris Durbin and Ross Bennett were honored on consecutive weeks in 2003, and Paul Witt and Josh Ford were chosen in back-to-back weeks in 2004.

QUICK HITS
• SERIES: Baylor and Texas Tech have met 142 times and the Red Raiders lead the all-time series 72-70.
• Baylor is 43-25 all-time against Texas Tech in Waco.The Bears haven't lost a series to Tech in Waco since 2001, a string of four consecutive series wins (two out of three in all four).
• Baylor climbed three spots to No. 14 in Baseball America's March 14 poll. The Bears jumped No. 16 Clemson, No. 18 North Carolina and No. 24 UCLA. It's the Bears highest ranking since April 2009.
• Baylor has lost four straight Big 12 conference openers. The Bears' last such win was in 2006 vs. Kansas.
• Baylor has not lost consecutive games this season; the Bears are 5-0 following a loss.
• Baylor is 29-7 in its last 36 games at Baylor Ballpark, including a 17-3 mark in non-conference games.
• For the second time in program history, Baylor players won both Big 12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week. Logan €ˆVerrett (Pitcher) & Chris Slater (Player) took the honors on March 14.
• Verrett was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (3/14) by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
• Slater followed Landis Ware (3/7) to give Baylor consecutive Big 12 Player of the Week awards for the third time in program history.
• Baylor is 186-108 (.633) in the month of March during the Smith era. The Bears have had a losing record in the month of March only twice in Smith's 16 seasons (2004 & 2007).
• Baylor is 3-0 in extra-inning games this season. The Bears got a walk-off double from €ˆJake Miller in the 10th inning vs. Oral Roberts (2/20), a walk-off grand slam from Max Muncy in the 10th vs. Rice (3/6) and a walk-off single from Chris Slater in the 11th inning vs. Florida International (3/15).
• Baylor has won six straight regular season weekend sets. The Bears closed out the 2010 season with series wins at Texas Tech and vs. Oklahoma State before opening 2011 by winning two of three vs. Oral Roberts, at Georgia and at the Houston College Classic, and sweeping four games from Louisiana Tech.
• The Bears are riding a seven-game winning streak, the longest since winning eight straight May 16-29, 2010.
• Since the start of the 2003 season, Baylor is 23-13 in extra-inning games, including 3-0 this season.
• Baylor head coach Steve Smith recorded his 600th career victory in Tuesday's win vs. Florida International.
• Baylor has ranked in the nation's top 25 in attendance in all 12 years since Baylor Ballpark opened in 1999.
• The Bears were picked fourth in the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, behind Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
• Baseball €ˆAmerica projects Baylor to finish third in the Big 12 and ranked BU No. 16 nationally in the preseason.
• Baylor's nine-run third inning in the series finale at Georgia was the most the Bears have scored in an inning since scoring 10 in the third against Northwestern €ˆState on April 7, 2009.
• The Bears went 7-for-7 stealing bases in the series opener at Georgia, the first time Baylor stole seven or more bases in a game since stealing eight against Dallas Baptist on May 16, 2006.
• Eight players on Baylor's roster have been selected in previous MLB €ˆDrafts, tied for third-most in the Big 12.

INDIVIDUAL QUICK HITS
• CF/RHP Brooks Pinckard has been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award preseason watch list.
• Pinckard ranks fifth on Baylor's all-time saves list with 16 career saves.
• Pinckard hit a game-winning homer in €ˆthe seventh inning of the second game vs. Oral Roberts (2/19).
• Pinckard leads the Big 12 Conference and is second nationally with 16 stolen bases.
• Pinckard leads the team and is second in the Big 12 with 29 hits.
• Pinckard has never grounded into a double play in 363 career at-bats.
• Pinckard has attempted more steals (18) than Baylor's opponents combined (17).
• Pinckard is 45-for-51 stealing bases in his career and needs four stolen bases to crack Baylor's top 10 list.
• Pinckard has started all 17 games in center field and hit leadoff (15 games) or second in the order (twice).

• College Baseball €ˆDaily ranked RHP Logan Verrett as the No. 51 player in college baseball in its preseason Top 100.
• Verrett was ranked No. 4 on Perfect Game Cross Checker's Top Big 12 Prospects for 2011 MLB €ˆDraft.
• Verrett was named to the Golden €ˆSpikes Award preseason watch list, one of six Big 12 players on the list.
• Verrett tied a Baylor Ballpark record by striking out 14 in a complete-game one-hitter vs. Louisiana Tech (3/11).
• Verrett was named Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week and National Player of the Week (3/14).
• Verrett earned Houston College Classic All-Tournament honors after his win vs. Houston; 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 K.
• Verrett faced just three batters over the minimum through his first six innings in series opener at Georgia.
• Verrett has 191 career strikeouts and needs 37 to crack the top 10 in program history.
• Verrett currently holds the Baylor record for strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.98).
• Verrett is third on Baylor's career strikeouts per nine innings list (10.13).
• Verrett ranks sixth in program history for fewest walks allowed per nine innings (2.55).
• Verrett ranks third in the Big 12 with 30 strikeouts. He trails Texas' Cole Green (33) and Taylor Jungmann (31).

• Perfect Game named 1B Max Muncy No. 3 on its Top Big 12 Prospects for the 2012 MLB €ˆDraft.
• Muncy was ranked No. 33 on Perfect Game's 2011 list of the Top College Baseball Sophomores.
• Muncy has started all 17 games at first base and hit either third or cleanup in every game.
• Muncy is tied for 10th in the Big 12 Conference with 15 RBI.
• Muncy had multi-hit games and had at least one RBI in all three games of the series at Georgia.
• Muncy hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning to beat Rice. It was the first walk-off HR €ˆby a Baylor player since Feb. 27, 2007 (Raynor Campbell vs. UTA).
• Muncy's walk-off grand slam was BU's first walk-off HR since Raynor Campbell hit one on Feb. 27, 2007.
• Muncy's six RBI vs. Rice were the most by a BU player since Aaron Miller had six vs. Illinois (Feb. 29, 2008).

• SS Landis Ware is Baylor's most experienced player with 148 games played and 130 career starts.
• Ware has started at shortstop in 16 of Baylor's 17 games in 2011.
• Ware earned Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors after going 7-for-10 in the Houston College Classic.
• Ware was named to the 2011 Houston €ˆCollege Classic All-Tournament Team.
• Ware led off the bottom of the 10th with a double and scored the winning run vs. Rice (3/6).
• Ware was named Big 12 Player of the Week after going 7-for-10 in the Houston €ˆCollege Classic.
• Ware was selected to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament Team.

• 3B Jake Miller's 10th-inning walk-off double in the series finale vs. Oral €ˆRoberts was the first extra-inning, walk-off hit by a Baylor player since Dustin Dickerson's 11th-inning walk-off single vs. Missouri on April 11, 2009.
• Miller had the first three-hit game of his career in a 3-for-4 effort vs. Houston (3/4).
• Miller has started 16 of Baylor's 17 games at third base this season.
• Miller extended his career-long hitting streak to seven games with a single in the fourth vs. FIU on Tuesday.

• Freshman RHP Trae Davis picked up a pair of wins pitching out of the bullpen in the season's opening weekend.
• Davis has allowed three hits in 11.0 innings of seven relief appearances this season (.088 opponents' batting average).
• Davis is tied for third in the Big 12 Conference with three wins. All three of his wins have come in relief.

• OF Chris Slater is one of 30 semifinalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS €ˆAward (one of three from Big 12).
• Slater was named Big 12 Player of the Week (3/14) after having four consecutive three-hit games.
• Slater hit a walk-off single to beat Florida International in 11 innings on March 15.

• LF Logan €ˆVick has started all 77 games in left field since the start of the 2010 season.
• Vick reached base safely in all 40 career games at Baylor Ballpark before going 0-for-3 vs. Texas State (3/1).
• Vick went 3-for-4 and drove in runs in all three plate appearances in which he made an out in the series finale at Georgia (2/27).
• Vick has drawn 68 walks in 77 career games; he's taken multiple walks in a game in 20 contests.
• When leading off an inning, Vick has a .500 on-base percentage for his career (64-for-128).

• 2B Steve DalPorto has started 14 of Baylor's 17 games at second base and once at shortstop in 2011.
• DalPorto is currently riding a career-best seven-game hitting streak.

• C Joey Hainsfurther moved from third base to catcher for the 2011 season. He had never caught a collegiate game before, but has started behind the plate in nine of Baylor's first 16 games this season.
• Hainsfurther tied the Bears' game vs. Rice (3/6) in the Houston College Classic with a two-run triple in the 7th.

• RF Cal €ˆTowey drew a total seven walks in a three-game span (3/1-3/5).

• OF Wes Mercurio hit the first pitch he saw in 2011 for a three-run pinch hit homer in the series finale at Georgia.

• LHP Crayton Bare has pitched in seven games out of the bullpen in 2011 after pitching in four games in 2010.

• RHP Jon €ˆRingenberg (8-0 career record) has never taken a loss in 26 career appearances, including 14 starts.

• RHP Kolt Browder has allowed five hits in 8.0 innings over seven appearances (.185 opponents' batting average).

• LHP/DH Josh €ˆTurley has taken only one loss in 31 career appearances.
• Turley hit a pinch-hit double in his first plate appearance of the season in the series opener at Georgia.

• C Josh Ludy is on a career-best six-game hitting streak. He hit a three-run homer in Sunday's game vs. Louisiana Tech.

UP NEXT
Baylor continues its 14-game homestand with a midweek game against UT €ˆArlington. The Bears and Mavericks meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor won both games against UTA last season. The Bears knocked off UTA 5-4 in 10 innings on April 14 in Arlington, then returned home and took an 18-8 win in eight innings the following day.